Syracuse Parks Conservancy Seeking Small Grant Applicants

Syracuse, NY – As Central New York enjoys more hours of sunshine and hopes for warmer weather, the Syracuse Parks Conservancy (SPC) is gearing up on this First Day of Spring by seeking applicants for its Neighborhood Greening Grants Program. The program will award a series of $750 mini-grants to help organizations improve their communities through park and recreation center beautification projects.

Syracuse Parks Conservancy believes that well-kept community spaces contribute to the life and vitality of neighborhoods. By taking care of our neighborhood environment, we create places where residents can gather and interact, thus strengthening the neighborhood’s social fabric and improving its quality of life. SPC Vice President George Matthews said, “Increased citizen involvement with Parks programs is a primary purpose of this project.”

Applicants may be neighborhood associations, schools, park associations, faith-based organizations and other community groups in the city of Syracuse that hold a 501(c)(3) status. Non-qualifying organizations may seek a qualifying fiscal agent. Eligible proposals for projects are not permitted to have taken place already or currently have an open Neighborhood Greening Grant. 

Projects should be on vacant lots or property owned by the Syracuse Department of Parks, allow community member involvement and leadership, and occur where there is a need for financial assistance for the project proposed. Sample projects may include a community garden, rain garden, park beautification or the development of a trail.

Applications will be subject to a review process. All grants are awarded on a rolling basis in amounts not to exceed $750 per grant. Applicants can visit www.syracuseparksconservancy.com/neighborhood-greening-grants/ to view application guidelines and to download an application.

This program is funded by the Central New York Community Foundation.

Funding Available for Park and Trail Groups: Only One Week Left to Apply

Parks & Trails New York is offering a new round of Capacity Building Grants for park and trail groups in New York State. The grants, of up to $3,000, can be used to assist with activities associated with organizational start-up and development, training, communications, and volunteer recruitment and management. The deadline for submitting applications is November 22, 2010.

For more information email Parks & Trails New York or call 518-434-1583.

Grants Available to strengthen park and trail groups

Parks & Trails New York is offering a new round of Capacity Building Grants for park and trail groups in New York State. The grants, of up to $3,000, will strengthen not-for-profit organizations that are working to build and protect parks and trails in communities across the state --- helping to not only provide places for close-to-home, healthy physical activity but also generate additional tourist dollars to strengthen local economies.

Parks & Trails New York's goal is to enable not-for-profits to better fulfill their missions; improve their reach, effectiveness, and impact; leverage more resources; and increase community support for and involvement in park and trail planning, development, and stewardship. Funds can be used to assist with activities associated with organizational start-up and development, training, communications, and volunteer recruitment and management. The deadline for submitting applications is November 22, 2010.

For more information email Parks & Trails New York or call 518-434-1583.

NY to close parks due to budget gap

The Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) today put forward a recommended list of closures and service reductions in order to achieve its 2010-11 agency savings target and help address the State's historic fiscal difficulties.

Governor David A. Paterson issued the following statement:

"New York faces an historic fiscal crisis of unprecedented magnitude. It has demanded many difficult but necessary decisions to help ensure the fiscal integrity of our State. The unfortunate reality of closing an $8.2 billion deficit is that there is less money available for many worthy services and programs. In an environment when we have to cut funding to schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and social services, no area of State spending, including parks and historic sites, could be exempt from reductions. We cannot mortgage our State's financial future through further gimmicks or avoidance behavior. Spending cuts, however difficult, are needed in order to put New York on the road to fiscal recovery. Going forward through the budget process, I look forward to a productive dialogue with the Legislature on parks and historic sites, as well as other issues."

OPRHP Commissioner Carol Ash issued the following statement:

"The 2010-11 Executive Budget included reductions to every area of State spending. As such, the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation has today put forward proposed closures and service reductions to meet its agency savings target. These actions were not recommended lightly, but they are necessary to address our State's extraordinary fiscal difficulties."

###

A fact sheet on the proposed closures and service reductions is included below:

The Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) today put forward a list of closures and service reductions in order to achieve its proposed 2010-11 agency savings target and help address the State's historic fiscal difficulties. As part of a comprehensive plan to close an $8.2 billion deficit, the 2010-11 Executive Budget included necessary cost reductions to each executive State agency, as well as cuts to education, health care, social services, and every other area of State spending.

OPRHP's plan includes the closure of 41 parks and 14 historic sites, and service reductions at 23 parks and 1 historic site.

The plan also assumes $4 million in park and historic site fee increases that will be identified at a later date, and the use of $5 million in funds from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to finance OPRHP operations. These two actions were part of the 21-day amendments to the Executive Budget and are intended to reduce the number of parks and historic sites subject to closures and service reductions.

Specific recommended closures and service reductions are detailed here.